Chapter
9:
Case
studies
in
Ta’izz
9.1.3
Socio-‐economic
situation
According
to
the
1994
Population
Census,
the
city’s
population
comprised
317,000
inhabitants,
while
the
area
as
a
whole
was
approximately
650,000.
(Van
der
Gun
&
Raiz,
2004).
Agriculture,
practised
mostly
in
the
main
wadis
and
in
the
highlands,
is
the
primary
means
of
livelihood
for
the
rural
population.
Rainfed
agriculture
accounts
for
approximately
75%
of
the
agricultural
water
use
in
the
area.
The
major
crops
that
are
grown
under
irrigation
are
sorghum,
maize,
coffee,
mangoes,
papayas,
bananas,
tomatoes
and
qat
(Handley,
2001)
With
the
availability
of
motorised
pump
technology,
it
became
possible
to
exploit
groundwater
resources
on
a
scale
previously
unthinkable.
This
trend
was
aided
by
at
least
two
other
factors.
First,
the
boom
in
remittances
from
Yemenis
working
abroad
helped
finance
the
investments
in
new
wells.
Second,
the
government
subsidies
on
fuel
and
drilling
equipment
made
these
investments
more
attractive
(Van
der
Gun
&
Riaz,
2004).
Table
9.4
shows
the
amount
of
water
use
for
agricultural
purposes.
Table
9.4:
Total
water
use
in
the
rural
areas
of
Upper
Wadi
Raysan
Area
Agricultural
purpose
Amount
of
water
use
Rainfed
Agriculture
100
Mm /yr
Groundwater
irrigation
30
Mm /yr
Stream-‐fed
Agriculture
3
Mm /yr
Rural
domestic
use
2.5
Mm /yr
Livestock
0.3
to
0.4
Mm /yr
3
3
3
3
3
Source:
Handley
(2001)
According
to
Van
der
Gun
&
Riaz
(2004),
the
total
groundwater
use
in
the
sector
is
nearly
30
million
cubic
meters
per
year.
This
constitutes
approximately
68%
of
the
total
groundwater
use
in
the
area.
Roughly
half
of
the
groundwater
use
in
agriculture
takes
place
in
Al-‐Haima
and
Shara’b
zones.
In
these
areas,
a
significant
proportion
of
land
is
under
qat.
Increasing
dominance
of
qat
in
the
regions
cropping
pattern
has
been
one
of
the
reasons
behind
the
agricultural
sector’s
higher
water
use.
The
city
suburbs
accommodate
most
of
the
largest
industrial
plants
that
provide
employment
for
local
people.
Most
of
the
working
male
population
of
the
countryside
work
in
the
city
and
return
to
their
villages,
daily
or
weekly
(UN/DDSMS,
1997).
Most
of
the
major
water
consuming
industries
of
Ta'izz
are
involved
in
the
processing
of
foodstuffs
and
drinks.
However,
the
soap,
ghee
and
paint
factories
also
use
substantial
amounts
(Handley,
2001).
Access
to
water
for
domestic
use
in
Ta'izz
provides
great
contrasts,
particularly
between
urban
and
rural
water
access,
and
forms
part
of
the
distinction
between
urban
and
rural
environments.
According
to
Handley
(2001)
there
are
six
main
sources
of
water
in
Ta'izz
city.
These
are
public
utility
NWSA,
private
piped
supplies,
tanker
supplies,
free
water
(which
can
be
obtained
from
the
Government,
private
and
mosque
standpipes
at
various
locations
around
the
city),
bottled
water
(available
from
grocery
stores)
and
jerry-‐can
water
(this
water
is
distributed
to
grocery
stores
where
it
is
purchased
as
treated
drinking
water).
It
can
also
be
purchased
from
the
companies,
which
treat
the
water
and
their
branches.
However,
it
is
not
referred
to
here
as
“treated
water”,
because
it
may
not
have
been
treated.
Table
9.5
summarises
the
water
supply
provision
in
Ta'izz
region.
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